During a surgical operation, doctors typically insert large bore venous catheters into the patient in order to introduce blood quickly and efficiently. Once the surgery is completed, and the patient is in post-op, it becomes necessary to remove the large bore venous catheter and replace it with a multilumen catheter. The multilumen catheter facilitates the simultaneous introduction of medication as well as blood into the patient, and may also function to simultaneously withdraw blood from the patient or monitor the patient's blood pressure.
There are several disadvantages associated with exchanging catheters as described above. The removal of a large bore catheter from the patient may cause profuse bleeding which must be controlled, and which makes difficult reinsertion of a multilumen catheter in the same general puncture site. Furthermore, the patient is subjected to increased discomfort and possible infection inherent with the insertion, removal and reinsertion of different catheters.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a catheter which overcomes the above described disadvantages, which is economical to produce and which is compatible with existing medical equipment used with conventional multiple lumen catheters.